Priority’s New ‘Current’ Brings The Juice To A Quiet, Precise Ebike Experience

2020 has been quite a year as we all know, but it’s really been a watershed year for electric bicycles, or ebikes, both in terms of sales figures (hot, hot, HOT) and design progression. Better motors, bigger batteries, daring designs and overall better performance have made 2020 the best year for ebikes since large-scale production of this type of bicycle began in earnest over a decade ago. The ebike I bought just 3 years ago now seems clunky and primitive in comparison (but I still love riding it).

Before the pandemic hit, I had lined up reviews of bikes I felt were distinguished by design, performance or unusual features. Late in the summer, I was contacted by ebike maker Priority to try out their new model, the Current, which is available now at a discount, but just for a very short time. After putting many miles on the Current, it’s clearly an ebike worth having.

Tech and Design

At first glance, the $2,999 Priority Current ebike looks like a typical “comfort bike” design and indeed, it is very comfortable to ride, but the tech touches on the bike go above and beyond what you typically find on most bikes. The 6061 aluminum frame is a compromise between a low step design and a regular full-size dual triangle design, making it is very rigid and strong but also more accessible. I ride a large size frame but due to the “mid-step” design, even my son and wife were able to ride this bike comfortably despite being much shorter than I am.

That somewhat unusual frame geometry coupled with mountain bike-sized tires on black anodized rims set off the smart-looking Current. My review bike was a light gray “Charcoal” color with a nice bit of sparkle to it in sunlight. It’s also available in white. Out back, the Current uses one of the popular new technologies in bicycle gear drive train design: the NuVinci Enviolo E-bike specific Sportiv internal hub. Instead of having a set number of gears to choose from, this amazing hub is a stepless system with no clacking derailleur to tame. Just rotate the inner grip-shift style controller on the right handlebar to change ratios.

The hub is connected to a powerful mid-drive motor that features 500 Watts of power and a class-leading 140 Newton-meters of torque. This combination can push the Priority Current to a maximum assistance speed of 28 miles an hour in the flat, making it a Class III electric bicycle. There is no thumb throttle for Class II operation. Via an onscreen menu, users can set the bike up as a Class 1 (20mph max) or Class III ebike with a top speed of 28mph (which is what I set mine to, of course). This “choose you class designation” option is a growing trend and it’s good to see as it gives consumers the ability to set up the bikes for their specific needs and the laws in their specific location.

Hydraulic Tektro disc brakes at both ends have solid power and feel and haul the bike down quickly from speed. Other nice touches include a very bright 3-LED headlight that can be activated with a button push, or it just comes on automatically when a sensor activates in low light conditions. There’s also an LED tail light mounted on the rear fender but it does not have an option to blink or act as a brake light. An attractive and large duotone LCD display at the center of the handlebars shows lots of relative information including assist level, speed, battery status, trip meters and more.

The Current I rode included full coverage fenders and that was timely, since I got the bike as fall was arriving in Oregon, which includes lots of damp days.

Riding Experience

I put the Priority Current to work almost immediately as a commuter bike, getting me back and forth to my various day jobs. Set to its highest output and with a bit of pedal effort, the Current was able to achieve it 28 mile an hour easily and quickly thanks to the prodigious torque. However, the Current’s pedal assist engages gradually with jerkiness or abrupt acceleration, and the power only ramps up if you pedal harder. Basically, it cleanly and smoothly amplifies your own pedaling effort, no matter the power setting, although dialing up Level 5 on the small control pod on the left handlebar does result in brisk but linear acceleration, once you start pedaling. There is no thumb throttle.

Lime most of Priority’s bikes, the Current features a beach bike style saddle that’s very comfortable and while I generally prefer a smaller, more firm MTB type seat, this one was pretty nice for short trips. It takes a little bit to get used to the stepless rear hub and the right handlebar twist grip to set gearing requires a fair amount of twisting to change ratios, or at least more than your typical grip shift type system using a derailleur. But you get used to it very quickly and there’s a small novel indicator next to the grip showing you if you’re set for hill climbing, riding in the flat or something in between. The best part about these NuVinci hubs is that you can really dial in a perfect pedal ratio without having to “choose” a gear.

I get the feeling this kind of stepless hub will become commonplace on many commuter ebikes because it is so easy to use and so flexible for the rider. The hub offers a wide spread of gear ratios, from a granny gear low for hill climbing to a very tall (380% taller than the lowest gear) high gear for riding across the flat under pedal assist. There is no throttle on this bike but that’s OK, and I’ve actually come to enjoy not having a throttle because it means, of course, that I have to pedal and I can use all the exercise I can get. Yes, you can burn some calories at the lowest settings, but above setting 3, pedal effort is low and speed is plentiful, so don’t worry about showing up for work needing a shower.

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At full gallop, this is one fast bicycle. Riding in bike lanes in Class III mode, it was pretty easy to keep up and even pass car traffic, especially during rush hour. This is a sharp urban scalpel for riders who want to leave the car parked as much as possible, and may even cut commute times compared to driving the box (as it did for me).

One very nice aspect of the Current is that it is extremely quiet. The rear hub, since it has no derailleur or chain, is completely silent and the Current uses a Gates Carbon Drive belt instead of a chain that’s pretty much silent as well. Additionally, the bike came with WTB Horizon tires with a linear tread pattern, so there’s almost no tire noise as well, even at higher speeds. The only sound the bike really makes is a very slight whir from the mid-drive motor but above about 10 miles an hour, you can’t really hear it. It’s a very blissful and relaxing bike to ride.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a “regular” style ebike with top shelf speed, performance, and build quality, this is your rig. It’s priced to compete with other bikes in its class but the components used, like the NuVinci hub and Gates belt drive, lift it above much of the competition. Other nice features including the stout hydraulic disc brakes and the very bright automated headlight. Priority has done a good job of making the Current very approachable and usable for a wide range of users, including those coming back to cycling that have been away for a while. They also offer a simplified home assembly approach for our pandemic times, with instruction videos and a minimum of assembly to get the Current up and rolling. I enjoyed riding the Current every chance I could, and often picked it above some other bikes I had in for review over the last couple of months. The combination of stability, quiet and power make the Current a top pick in today’s ever more crowded ebike field.

Priority Current ebike: MSRP $2,999, $2,699 until Nov 1.

High Voltage:

• Powerful Class 3 performance up to 28mph

• Menu options to set bike as Class 1 or Class III

• Excellent build quality and components

• Near-silent operation

• NuVinci “gearless” hubs continue to impress

Low Impedance:

• Premium price

• Tail light should also be a brake light

• No bike bell/horn included